Poonch Encounter: Army launches search op after 2 Soldiers go missing

Ground Report | New Delhi: Poonch Encounter Soldiers missing; Security forces launched a major search operation in the Poonch area of ​​Jammu on Saturday morning, October 16, following the disappearance and two deaths of two soldiers. The encounter between militants and Security forces began last Monday in the Mendhar sector of Poonch.

Poonch Encounter Soldiers missing

The army has so far confirmed the deaths of seven soldiers, including two of its senior personnel, in the operation, but no militants have been reported killed or arrested so far.

A JCO and a jawan went missing after heavy firing by terrorists on the army on Thursday evening. Two soldiers - Rifleman Yogmber Singh and Rifleman Vikram Singh Negi - were killed in an encounter in the forests of Poonch-Rajouri, four days after five Army personnel were killed in action in the same area.

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Bringing back the bodies of the martyred soldiers proved to be a major challenge for the army as they had to move carefully within the forests to bring back the dead bodies.

What's the matter

The army said in a statement on Thursday evening that two soldiers, including a commissioned officer, had been killed in the operation, which began on Monday. However, the army has not yet been able to reach the bodies of the dead and according to him, the firing of militants has made this task very difficult.

The clash erupted in the dense jungles of the border areas between Poonch and Rajouri in the Jammu Division on Monday, October 11, when the army confirmed the deaths of five soldiers, including a senior officer. So far, seven soldiers have been killed in the clashes, and the operation continues six days later.

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The army says a large number of security forces as well as helicopters are taking part in a large-scale operation launched Saturday morning to search for the missing soldiers. Heavy gunfire and occasional explosions are also being heard in the area. The army has cordoned off the area and additional troops have been called in to help.

ongoing counter-terrorism operation

The Army said in a statement: "There was an exchange of fire between government forces and terrorists on the evening of October 14 in the ongoing counter-terrorism operation in the Nar Khas forest in the Mendhar sub-division of Poonch district. A junior commissioned officer and a soldier have been seriously injured in the exchange of fire and the operation is still ongoing.

According to the report of NDTV, a senior military officer in the area had confirmed last night that a senior official had gone missing on Thursday and a major operation was needed to find him. "We have not been able to recover the injured JCO so far."

According to security forces, the militants are in dense jungles and are not easy to pursue, so the operation continues six days later. No militants have been killed or arrested so far. According to observers, this is the first time in recent years that the Indian Army has suffered so many casualties in a single armed conflict.

Heavy firing and explosions were heard in the area as the army was trying to flush out the terrorists hiding deep in the jungles. The army on Monday launched a search operation after receiving information about the presence of terrorists in Dera Ki Gali. In the initial firing, five jawans including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) were martyred.

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